[NOTE FROM EDITOR: Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Highline Journal or Daniel Media.  If you wish to submit a story, photo, article, or letter, please email us at info@thehighlinejournal.com. We look forward to hearing from you.]

[Letter to the Editor from a verified Burien resident.]

Dear Highline Journal Editor and Burien Community,

September 2025, the Burien City Council asked the Planning Commission to revisit the 2044 Comprehensive Plan and 2025 zoning to correct errors that appear to conflict with state law. The commission will meet on December 10 - tonight - to hear from the community.

Earlier this year, after three long years of work, the Burien Planning Department and City Council approved the 2044 Comprehensive Plan rewrite and the 2025 Housing Zoning Plan, which together made sweeping changes to Single Family Residential (SFR) zoning across the city. The stated goal was to phase out SFR neighborhoods so Burien could take in the lowest-income residents from across South King County. Our concern is that many of these individuals cannot afford to own or maintain a home, and Burien lacks the job base needed to support them. At the same time, these changes could create a “heyday” for outside developers to build large numbers of inexpensive rental units known as middle housing.

Originally, the city’s long-term strategy for new affordable owner and rental housing focused on the Urban Core and Downtown Burien, with the Ambaum Corridor and the Boulevard Corridor planned as future additions. The Planning Department later chose to rezone environmentally sensitive areas, specifically the Burien shorelines and critical areas, from low-density land use to very high-density land use. This shift placed those areas under zoning that violates two state laws: the Growth Management Act (GMA) and Burien’s Shoreline Management Program (SMP).

Shoreline residents raised concerns that the 2044 Comprehensive Plan and zoning changes were out of compliance with state law and asked the City Council to correct these issues through the 2026 Comprehensive Plan Amendment docket, which includes five proposed amendments. The Planning Department has been resistant to placing Item 5 on the 2026 docket even though it is the item that would bring the 2044 Comp Plan and 2025 Zoning Plan back into alignment with state requirements.

Here is Exhibit 1: 2026 Docket of Comprehensive Plan Amendments Proposal:

On December 10, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in Burien City Hall, the Planning Department will hold a public hearing before the Planning Commission. The Department is asking Commissioners to vote to place only Items 1 through 4 on the 2026 Comprehensive Plan Amendment docket. This is referred to as Option 1, and it would not bring the 2044 Comprehensive Plan or the 2025 Zoning Plan into compliance with state law.

Residents of the Burien shorelines are urging the Commissioners to support Option 2, which would place all five items on the 2026 docket. Approving all five items is the only approach that will correct the errors in the 2044 Comp Plan and 2025 Zoning and return both documents to alignment with Washington state requirements.

Community members are encouraged to attend this meeting and ask the Commissioners to follow the law by voting for Option 2.

The Burien shorelines are governed by a combination of federal laws, including the Shore Protection Act (SPA), and state programs such as Washington’s Shoreline Management Act. Together, these laws provide a framework for managing and preserving fragile coastal areas, prioritizing resource protection, erosion control, and limitations on development in vulnerable zones. The Growth Management Act, the Burien Shoreline Management Program, and HB 1110 all contain provisions intended to safeguard the shorelines from excessive increases in density.

We continue to advocate for lawful and responsible planning that protects these sensitive natural areas for the long term.

-Residents of the Burien shorelines

[NOTE FROM EDITOR:  If you wish to submit a story, photo, article or letter, please email us at info@thehighlinejournal.com  Even if you wish to remain anonymous, please include your name and phone number so we may contact you privately. We look forward to hearing from you.]

Share this article
The link has been copied!